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November is a busy month for the illustration work I do (more on that soon) but I’m also looking forward to emerging from my drawing cave to show my work and sell prints, stationary and homewares at two festival fairs.

Humble by Nature Open Evening and Exhibition

Open Evening: Friday 22nd November 2013, 7pm – 9pm

Humble by Nature is hosting an exhibition of local artists in the Long Barn at the farm. All the artists have a strong connection with the farm, either living, working or teaching there. The artists include Sarah Edmonds, Beca Beeby, Amanda Rayner, Farmer Tim Stephens and Leigh Griffiths. Find out more about the artists here.

The artists work in a variety of media based on the natural world. Whether it’s wood, willow, cast iron or prints inspired by nature, the exhibition will encourage viewers to reconnect with their environment. Visitors will be encouraged to touch the exhibits and feel the beauty of the natural materials as well as appreciate their visual aesthetic.

The exhibition will be on display for course and event attendees at the farm. It is open to the public for the Open Evening event on Friday 22nd November from 7pm until 9pm.

I’ll also be having stalls at the following seasonal markets, in Cardiff and Monmouth. I’ll be launching some new stationary products, bags and prints (previews coming next week). Accompanying me to both events will be the wonderful Catkin Boutique, run by my talented school friend Nicola Barter.

There have been some spectacular thunder storms here over the past week – and as much as I like going out in them some rain-days have given me time to reflect on and develop my big pile of on-site sketches. I work with the windows open during a storm – the sound of the rain and thunder is energising!

Following my observational drawings of objects, I have now began to bring them together into patterns that can be repeated and also work as stand alone images. Here in town there’s a youth centre – Epic – which has brilliant facilities for screen printing – perfect! Last night I was there setting up the photo stencils / exposing my third and fourth screens ready for printing this evening. We are having an open day here at Kraftverket tomorrow – so I hope to have these prints ready to display.

Here are the first two screen prints – some dancing Dala farmers, inspired by a cake tin and the forest, and a pattern featuring the extra Swedish letter keys on a vintage typewriter. I have purposely printed them onto fabric purchased from second hand shops.

Here is a sneak preview of a paper cut design and an illustrated pattern, both of which I will be screen printing onto fabric tonight.

I have also spent some time sketching people. Last Saturday we took a trip to Vadstena, a pretty older town at the edge of lake Vättern, the second largest in Sweden. It was a blisteringly hot day so most of the time was spent sitting in shade in the park, and then hopping over the wall to jump into the lake.

This week we attended a talk by two men who used to work in the fur industry here in Tranas. One was an expert in preparing the fur, and the other a designer who had made garments for the queen of Sweden.

Here is a character sketch of some of the men who worked in the machine factory, which is now Kraftverket. I’m going to play with this some more digitally to add some loose colour to parts of the image.

I’ve been working in a few different spaces to create work – within shops, in my studio here, and also in the garden. I’ve found that my work looks more precise, or evocative, or loose depending on where I’m sat, It’s pretty windy out there today – perhaps another storm is on the way – but I’m hoping to get outside with my sketchbook for a bit. And if the storm does arrive I may even attempt some painting out there anyway – to experiment with new techniques incorporating the rain drops…

I’m pleased as pie to reveal my newest screen print, featuring a cast of a little laughing dog, a mustachioed, torch-wielding spoon, closely followed by a scampering dish with a penchant for vintage satchels. Inspired by the nursery rhyme, this was designed on a train, as much of my work is at the moment as I to and fro every other weekend to lovely Brighton, where the other half lives. Then I’ve spent the last couple of days screen printing them – 28 in total.

Not normally working in shades of blue and grey, I found this print a refreshing change although it still features my signature orange, found in lots of my prints.

This set of prints is the first edition, and I’m planning on developing the image further next year, trying out different colourways and effects using photoshop.

The image below began life as a papercut design. The paper was sourced from Lidl, coming in an array of bright colours. I’m going to play around with this technique quite a bit over the Christmas holidays and see what other things I can come up with.

Last but not least, if you haven’t already please vote for my Dala Horses mug design for Pedlars Product of the month – there’s just a few days left now! See the previous post for all the details.

Right, now to create some packaging for everything in time for the weekend…

Who’s seen Noel Fielding’s new comedy? I’m planning to take to the sofa very soon and catch up on good ol’ iplayer. But before that, I’m pleased to announced (cue trumpet!) that on Saturday 25 February I’ll be having a stall at Ffotogallery’s annual (ish) Book Arts Fayre. I’ll have a range of work with me to show and sell, from illustrations to brand newly printed / designed books. Occasions like these are good for making me focus my ideas and create / develop some new techniques.

When I’m looking for ideas (and because much of my work features animals / nature) I take myself to the natural history part of the museum. Upon my visit last weekend I encountered the skeleton of a (now extinct) Irish Elk. Its antlers were spectacular, and I made a sketch (Its neighbour was a ginger bison exactly the same colour as my hair).

…and then developed the sketch into a tonal illustration, brought to life with book print for an antler. Perhaps this alludes to the fact that this creature, now, survives only through story?

Since the start of this term I’ve been taking a screenprinting course at the Cardiff Open Art School – I’m truly addicted now, and look forward to setting up at home. We began with paper stencils, and below is one of the stencils for a two- colour print. It’s about escaping from a bustling city into open spaces, once in a while.

Here is the finished print – I like the third colour created by the slightly mis-matched registration. The middle illustration is upside down, as I designed it to be a single-sheet book – although it looks nice in its own right, I think.

Click here to visit the NEW PRINTMAKING PAGE see what the print looks like folded up into a book…
I need to start thinking about a design to use for a photo stencil, for tomorrow’s class.

Letterpress Weekend CourseOn 11th and 12th February I will be teaching another Letterpress weekend class at the Cardiff Open Art School. Visit their website to find out more and book!

An inspiring Bristol trip.

Yesterday I spent the afternoon wandering around Montpelier with friends. First stop was the Here Gallery (which I’ve been meaning to visit for some time) which stocks a hoard of illustrations, prints, handmade books and small press zines. Check out their website for opening times and details of upcoming exhibitions.

There I bought Issue 12 of the ever pleasing Uppercase Magazine, which focuses this issue on cartography, artistic adventure and a love of paper. I’m looking forward to burying my nose between the (very well designed) pages. The cover artwork, below, is by Jennifer Collier: view her wonderful ephemera-inspired creations right here.

I also purchased The New Ghost by Robert Hunter, an illustrated story/comic published by NoBrow press. It follows a ghost who, on his first day, accidentally makes friends with a human astronomer. The page layouts and colours are innovative and the story subtly told. Below is a spread from the book: click on the cover to find out more about this title and others on the NoBrow website.

When we arrived we ate toast in this cafe – I’m currently working on a shop-front illustration and plan to use this as reference.

Then later, following an afternoon of galleries charity shops cafes and conversation, we climbed onto the roof of a friend’s house as the day slipped towards dusk.